Pressure mounts to stop further parakeet shootings on public land in Borehamwood

Town Councillor Clive Butchins, Hertsmere Cllr Sandra Parnell and Pat Strack with campaigners Christine Brock and Simon Richardson and Cllr Richard Butler Pressure is mounting on Hertsmere Borough Council to rescind the permission it gave for the shooting of rare parakeets on public land.

The council consented to the Government’s environmental body (Defra) using live ammunition in Borehamwood earlier this year.

Defra, which claims South American monk parakeets pose a risk to electrical infrastructure and agriculture, used a shotgun to shoot two birds in Allum Lane Spinney and Parkfields in June.

Labour Councillor Richard Butler (Kenilworth) has written to Leader of the Council Morris Bright (Con/Elstree).

Cllr Butler said the use of live ammunition represents a “danger to the public and other animals” and the evidence Defra has presented is “insubstantial and not relevant to circumstances in the UK”.

His thoughts have been echoed by a further two letters sent by Conservative Councillors Pat Strack (Kenilworth) and Sandra Parnell (Hillside).

All three Hertsmere councillors recently accompanied campaigners to Downing Street to hand in a petition calling for the end of Defra’s eradication programme.

Campaigner Simon Richardson, of Mildred Avenue, is eager to learn who at the council consented to the shootings in June.

It is still not clear whether it was a single council officer or if some elected members knew.

However, previously in relation to a trial shooting that was conducted in 2008, the council says the decision was made by officers.

Steve Burton, head of street scene with responsibility for parks, said: “This matter was considered an operational issue and was therefore dealt with by officers.

“Defra is a government department and its policy regarding monk parakeets is made independently of local councils and as such, we deferred to their professional guidance and expertise in this matter.”

The decision to allow shooting on public land in Borehamwood puts Hertsmere at odds with the London borough Tower Hamlets – where similar activity is taking place.

According to a Defra progress report, the Labour controlled council and police has not yet sanctioned shooting and are “keen to restrict control activities to trapping and nest removal in the first instance”.

Hertsmere’s executive will meet tonight to review its policy of consent.